Council on Student AffairsChristina Rideout, PhD. Psychologist

Director, Career Connection

November 4, 2013

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Career Connection

Vision: To empower students to make lifelong, responsible and meaningful choices in a global and dynamic world.

Career Connection

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Career Connection

Mission: To serve the career development needs of OSU students by providing high quality and diversity-sensitive services through counseling, consultation and lasting partnerships, designed to facilitate learning and advance well-being, purpose, identity development and citizenship.

Career Connection

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We assist students achieve successful outcomes by:•Connecting students’ interests, values, skills and personality with the world of work.•Aiding development of students’ interests by exploring various majors and careers.•Encouraging students to test their ideas with internships, informational interviews, volunteering, and extracurricular activities.•Providing customized attention to resumes, vitas, job search letters, and interviewing skills.•Listening and helping with personal concerns that relate to career decisions.•Assisting students’ implementation of decisions by learning how to conduct a job search or plan for graduate or professional school.•Informing students about the University’s employment assistance services.

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Services:•Individual career counseling/consultation for undergraduate, graduate and professional students (hour appointments/brief walk-ins)•Career assessments•ESCE 2272 – career class•Workshops and group counseling•Assistance with graduate and professional school application process (Graduate and Professional School Expo – Oct. 22, 2013). •Job campaign assistance•Career Resources

Highly collaborative with numerous campus partners.

Do not work directly with employers/recruiters.

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2012-2013 Statistics

(Typically 3 full-time career counselors, 2 half-time GAA’s.)

(This year staff vacancy about half year.)

! Number of career counseling sessions 2,258

Number of individual career counseling clients 1,267

Number of outreach programs 97•Number of students attending outreach programs 5,154

! 328% increase since date of inception 1998-1999.

* Does not include job fairs, 547% increase since date of inception.

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Program Review Process

Comprehensive review of Student Life departments are conducted in partnership with research and Planning and the Office of Student Life. The purpose is to examine current programming services, resources, organizational efficiency and to reach high-level performance results.

Date of Review

Self Study – March 2006

Action Plan – February 2007

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Career Connection Self Study Team

March 2006

Christina Rideout, Ph.D., Director, Career Connection (and Psychologist, Counseling & Consultation Service)

Ana Berrios-Allison, Ph.D., Associate Director, Career Connection

Hollie Canter, M.A., Career Consultant, Career Connection

Stacie Stormer, M.A., Career Counselor, Career Connection

Kimberly Hendry, M.A., Career Consultation GAA, Career Connection

Pam Park-Curry, Ph.D., Director, Undergraduate Career Consultation and Programs, Office of Career Management, Fisher College of Business

Donna Lamb, M.A., Coordinator of Career Services, Lima Campus

Lori Thomas, M.S.W., Director, Career Exploration Center

Sharon Black, Office Associate, Career Connection

Kristen Hill, Office Associate, Career Connection

 

 

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Career Connection Internal Panel

Chair - Susan Jones Sears, Ph.D., Emeritus Faculty, OSU,

Educational Consultant

Jennifer Collis, Ph.D., Director of Student and Alumni Services, Physical Activity & Educational Services

Samir Gambhir, (Student), GIS/Demographic Specialist, Kirwin Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity 

Kenneth M. Hale, R.Ph., Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and

College Secretary, Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Administration 

 

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Career Connection Internal Panel (continued)

 

Jessica Parkinson, (Student)

 

Alisa Paulsen, Ph.D., Assistant Dean and Director, Colleges of the Arts and Sciences, Honors Program

 

Andy Zircher, MA, Academic Counselor and Staff Assistant, School of Allied Medical Professions-Health Science Program

 

 

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Career Connection External Panel

 Kelley Bishop, Executive Director, Career Services and Placement, Michigan State University

 

Lynne Milburn, Director, Career Exploration Center, The University of Texas at Austin

 

Gail Rooney, Director, The Career Center, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  

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Observations/Findings

•Career Connection highly valued by students and partners who use their services (hidden gem, rarely turn down request for assistance).  Upper level administration not as aware of the high regard. 

•Stakeholders have different expectations of what Career Connection provides to them.  (Resources stretched thin).

•Career Connection’s mission and scope of responsibilities blurred.  (Filling gaps).

•Career Connection’s challenges reflect a larger University issue.  (Lack of comprehensive university plan of career services).

•Usage levels exceeded existing staff capacity.  (Multiple modes and duties).

•Career Connection not visible enough in the Younkin Center.

•Serving graduate students seems to be an issue too large for this review.

 

 

 

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements

1. University administrators should conduct a functional review of university-wide career services.

Dr. J convened task group few years ago – Creation and Implementation of Buckeye Careers.

2. Student Affairs administrators need to learn more about successes in Career Connection.

10 year birthday event to thank partners and enhance visibility, ongoing communication with AVP and VP, other Student Life leadership, reports.        

 

3. Develop incentive system to reward staff for exemplary performance.

Ongoing, part of Student Life plan, performance management, merit.

 

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements(continued)

4. Rethink/revise unit’s mission in a way that permits it to do what it can do best. (Not resourced in ways originally intended).

Reworked vision and mission statements to better reflect and articulate philosophy of Unit and importance in Student Life. Completed strategic analysis of student’ career and developmental tasks to evaluate career development gaps, outline CC learning outcomes, actions and measurements.

5. Pursue the creation of partnerships, e.g. shared positions, with individual academic units to extend Career Connection's reach and help bolster services to students within a specific unit.

Create criteria and identify strategic partners, clarify how services will differ, possible financial partnerships.

 

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements

(continued)

6. Career Connection should consider charging a fee for services, e.g. workshops or individual counseling, provided to academic units.

No fee implemented.  Night workshops limited.

7. Continue to offer career courses as a means of efficiently reaching a larger number of students.

A class still offered ESCE 2272, enrollment has decreased

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements(continued)

8. Review computer-assisted career guidance systems and other career resources (such as resume writing software programs) to determine if and how computer-compatible programs might assist staff in reducing the current workload and/or increasing their outreach capabilities to students who are not utilizing career resources.

Multiple resources developed and available. Redesigned website includes many resources.  OnPACE modules live this summer/fall. 

9. Collaborate with University Exploration to create a more seamless service and referral process between the two units.

Have established regular meetings for collaboration and sharing information.

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements (continued)

10. Support the hiring of a full-time director.

End of August 2013, CC Director moved to CC floor and oversees unit (along with working with Buckeye Careers and Culture Retreats).  Previously Director continued as full time staff at OSU, Director responsibilities as predominate focus.  Psychological concerns/barriers that significantly impact student career development appropriately treated in CCS environment when Director there part-time.

11. Full-time clerical worker or paraprofessional needs to be hired. Currently, a 75% “Information Worker” staffs the office.

Information assistant increased to 100% FTE, position upgraded, student assistants also hired.

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Recommendations/Action Plan/Achievements(continued)

 

12. A space utilization review of their physical facilities (second floor of Younkin) to see if additional space can be created to house the director (currently on the 4 th floor) and to provide a more student-friendly space. 

Receptionist desk moved, Career Connection signage modified, ongoing discussions regarding space (numerous space issues and requests), recent space created from conference room for Director.

13. Staff should consider training person to assist in collecting/analyzing data needed to continue to measure how well client outcomes are being met.

Receptionist uploads student data, Systems Developer assists with data retrieval.

 

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Future/Next Steps

•Enhance visibility; marketing, branding, identity, purpose, resources.•Develop additional OnPACE modules (Graduate and Professional Students, other?) (Collaboration with multiple other areas).•Evaluate to enhance services to targeted populations—i.e. graduate students, international students.•Explore MayMester course offering. •Continue collaboration with STEP.

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Future/Next Steps (continued)

•As feasible continue with Veteran Ambassador placed with Career Connection & Buckeye Careers(new this year).•Continue streamlining processes (electronic).•Expand measurement of learning outcomes.•Continue collaborations (outside of career).oAssociate Director – Suicide PreventionoDirector – Culture Shaping

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Questions/Comments

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